Author Archives: The Urban Survivor

The Toughest Kind of Love: Don’t Stop Writing Your Story

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Life is a collection of chapters, and some of them are undeniably painful to read. There is a popular sentiment that offers profound hope: “Don’t give up because of one bad chapter in your life. Keep going. Your story doesn’t end here.” This wisdom acknowledges that struggle is a part of the narrative, but it insists that it is not the final page. It is a call for resilience, a reminder that identity isn’t fixed by moments of failure or despair.

However, if we apply this metaphor to the crisis of homelessness and addiction on our streets, we must ask ourselves: Are we helping people turn the page, or are we simply buying them a new bookmark while they remain stuck in the same chapter?

The current approach to homelessness is often too passive, too willing to enable stagnation. It can be patronizing to assume that someone in the throes of addiction or living on the streets doesn’t need a hard response. By removing all expectations—by offering housing without requiring sobriety or a commitment to rehabilitation—we risk telling people that they aren’t capable of more . We accept their bad chapter as the whole book.

We need a shift from a handout to a hand up. This means coupling compassion with accountability. It means recognizing that allowing someone to continue using drugs without intervention is not kindness; it is a slow form of surrender . A truly compassionate response says, “Your story doesn’t end in addiction, and it doesn’t end on this street corner.”

Programs that are beginning to see success are those that provide shelter and support, but also demand recovery and work . They enforce rules, ban public camping, and use the leverage of the law to nudge individuals toward treatment. This isn’t about punishment; it’s about instilling the self-worth that comes from meeting expectations .

If we want to help people write a better chapter, we must stop editing around the margins of their misery. We must provide the structure and the hard line in the sand that says giving up is not an option. Because their story—and ours as a community—doesn’t have to end there.

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Statistical Reduction of Homlessness – Housing First | Europe + Scandinavia

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Housing First is an established concept in Finland since more than 15 years thanks to the Y-Foundation as a pioneer. The Y-Foundation was also one of the founding members of the Housing First Europe Hub.

In 2016 the Finish Y-Foundation together with FEANTSA established the Housing First Europe Hub. The Y-Foundation has been a key player in establishing Housing First as the main response to homelessness in Finland. Since 2007 national policies shifted towards reducing long-term homelessness through Housing First programmes.

As a result, in Finland, the utilisation of emergency and temporary accommodations, such as shelters, hostels, and temporary supported housing, has significantly declined. The number of homeless individuals residing in hostels or boarding houses decreased by 76% from 2008 to 2017. This reduction is attributed to the widespread adoption of prevention strategies, the replacement of outdated models of communal supported housing with Housing First and housing-led approaches, which largely replaced emergency shelters.

ARA, the Housing Finance and Development Centre, has also been involved in the implementation of Housing First in Finland since the start through subsidising new and renovated homes as well as giving housing advice to municipalities.

As a result, Finland is one of the only European countries that registers decreasing homelessness numbers. The country’s goal is to end homelessness in Finland all together.

Finland has managed to reduce homelessness in recent years, but homelessness as a phenomenon is still alive and well. The homelessness situation often escalates in the context of social and economic crises.

Originally Published on https://housingfirsteurope.eu/country/finland/

Family demands BC safety, justice and insurance reforms

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It’s been four years since they lost their son in a crash near Crescent Spur

Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | Jan 1, 2026 10:39 AM

A transport truck jackknifed on the highway near Crescent Spur at around 2 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2021.

 A transport truck jackknifed on the highway near Crescent Spur at around 2 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2021. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Nate Peebles died in a collision after a transport truck jackknifed on the highway near Crescent Spur at around 2 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2021.

Nate Peebles died in a collision after a transport truck jackknifed on the highway near Crescent Spur at around 2 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2021. PEEBLES FAMILY PHOTO

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Peter Peebles vows never to drive in British Columbia again.

“It’s too dangerous,” Peebles said in an interview with The Citizen.

The Sherwood Park, Alta., power engineer was raised in Prince George, studied at BCIT in Burnaby and worked in Kamloops. He settled near Edmonton in 2009 and met his wife, Erika, a human resources manager, in 2011.

“I grew up driving those mountains,” he said. “I played minor hockey my whole life in Prince George, I grew up driving down those highways for hockey games, right between Fort St. John to Kamloops. My father worked for the department of highways his whole career. Driving those highways was a part of our lives.”

Four years ago, Peter, 50, and Erika, 44, learned the hard way that they could no longer rely on BC roads to be safe or insurance to support them in a time of need.

At Christmastime 2021, Peter installed a set of new winter tires on his four-door 2015 Dodge Ram pickup truck just in time to take Erika and their children on a road trip to spend the holiday with extended family in Prince George.

He said he was not in a hurry and continues to regret not stopping for a midday meal in McBride — all because of what happened on the snowy Highway 16 near Crescent Spur, 45 kilometres west of McBride.

Around 2 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2021, according to a witness, an eastbound Dart Transport Volvo semi-truck, driven by Manpreet Dhaliwal, passed another eastbound vehicle over a double solid yellow line on the two-lane highway. The truck accelerated in the westbound lane; Dhaliwal lost control. The truck and its empty trailer jackknifed across the highway.

Peter said he was driving westbound to the summit of a hill and suddenly discovered the truck and trailer barrelling toward his Dodge Ram, across the entire highway. He remembers Erika yelling for him to “hit the ditch” before the head-on collision.

Nate, who was looking forward to Christmas in a few days and his fifth birthday the next month, was in the back seat behind the driver’s seat.

He suffered a serious head injury and was airlifted to Edmonton but succumbed the next day.

Peter was hospitalized for six weeks with leg fractures, a crushed foot and facial injuries and required three surgeries.
Since then, the family has struggled.

Peter and Erika say the system failed their family and they want change for the sake of other families.

Change needed

As they recovered, the Peebles reached out to politicians and bureaucrats on both sides of the border to urge stronger licensing of truck drivers and companies, better law enforcement and highway maintenance.

The most that BC has done since then, Peter said, is crack down on commercial truck drivers who collide with overpasses.

“It’s so far out of whack in British Columbia,” he said.

“So, damaging infrastructure, compared to citizens,” Erika said.

BC’s Ministry of Transportation and Transit told the Citizen it regularly monitors and assesses highways for improvements and routinely reviews highways after fatal or serious incidents to ensure they meet safety and functionality standards.

“The review conducted following this incident did not identify any changes required as a result of this incident,” said a statement provided to the Citizen.

Peter found out, through the Alberta Public Carrier Profile, that Dart Transport vehicles had been involved in three other injury-causing crashes earlier in 2021. He wonders why authorities don’t have zero tolerance, almost eight years since 16 people died when another Alberta company’s truck was driven through a stop sign in Saskatchewan and plowed into the Humboldt Broncos’ hockey team bus.

The BC ministry said it has been improving compliance and enforcement since October 2021, when Mandatory Entry Level Training became a prerequisite for a Class 1 driver’s licence. Other mandatory measures include electronic logging devices in commercial vehicles (since August 2023), speed limiters (April 2024) and in-cab devices to warn if a dump box is raised (June 2024).

Peebles said it took almost a year-and-a-half for Alberta’s minister of transportation to respond.

In September, Devin Dreeshen said in an email that Alberta has “strengthened its commercial driver training system to improve competency and oversight.”

Dreeshen emphasized the April replacement of Alberta’s Mandatory Entry Level Training curriculum with the new, four-tier Class 1 Learning Pathway.

Dreeshen’s letter also said Alberta pulled eight commercial carriers from continued operations in 2024 and issued 184 penalties after 470 audits and 149 investigations.

No accountability

Peter Peebles said he is most shocked by the lack of accountability through BC’s auto insurance and justice systems.

In May 2021, the NDP government switched to no-fault insurance, a system that ICBC branded “Enhanced Care.”

Premier David Eby was the attorney general who wanted to make insurance more affordable, ease the burden on courts and improve ICBC’s bottom line. He famously called the Crown monopoly on basic auto insurance a “dumpster fire.”

But under the new system, unless the driver who is liable for causing an injury or fatality on BC roads is convicted of a criminal violation, victims cannot sue for compensation.

Peebles said the RCMP did not conduct a forensic investigation, so Crown prosecutors opted to charge Manpreet Dhaliwal under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving without due care and attention, rather than the Criminal Code charge of dangerous driving causing death — which carries a maximum life sentence.

Dhaliwal was found guilty. Last July, Provincial Court Judge Michael Brecknell sentenced him to 60 days in jail, a $1,480 fine and $30,000 in restitution.

“Nothing in this decision will return a young child to his family,” Brecknell said in his sentencing reasons. “Nothing in this decision will properly address the enduring grief the family has and will continue to experience. Nothing in this decision will alleviate the guilt felt by the person whose actions bring him before the court for sentencing. The purpose of this decision is to impose a just and appropriate sentence.”

Brecknell left it to the superintendent of motor vehicles to decide the fate of Dhaliwal’s licence.

The restitution order is a fraction of the $218,551.44 the Peebles asked the court for replacement of the pickup truck, compensation for medical costs, loss of work and opportunity, and costs of Nate’s funeral.

Dhaliwal appeared for his sentencing hearing by web conference from India. The court was told he was there to care for his mother, ill with sepsis.

The Prince George court registry says Dhaliwal’s arrest warrant remains outstanding and no fine has been paid. Peter and Erika have not seen a penny yet in restitution and they wonder if they ever will.

Dhaliwal’s lawyer is Brij Mohan in Edmonton. Sukh Kalkat, the lawyer who represented Dhaliwal at the July 14 sentencing, told Brecknell that his client had been “psychologically destroyed.”

Asked by the Citizen about Dhaliwal’s status, Kalkat said by email that “we can provide no updates about this case or any other comments.”

Peebles said he was surprised the judge ordered both jail time and restitution, but as long as Dhaliwal does not spend time in jail or make the ordered payments, there will be no accountability.

“I had no idea how accommodating we were to accused individuals,” Peter said. “That’s very upsetting.”

Peter is also alarmed that the Alberta government is poised to follow BC’s lead and adopt no-fault insurance by 2027.

In a statement to the Citizen, BC’s Ministry of Attorney General said the “Enhanced Care model is designed to provide people with benefits to support their recovery after a crash, ensuring help reaches them faster rather than getting caught up in lengthy legal processes.”

That includes medical rehabilitation, income replacement and, in the event of a fatality, grief counselling, funeral expenses and death benefits.

There is a glimmer of hope for reform for people like the Peebles. The NDP amendments to the Insurance (Vehicle) Act that enabled no-fault insurance require a special, all-party committee of MLAs to be struck by May 1, 2026, in order to conduct a comprehensive and independent review. The special committee will have a year to hear witnesses and report back to the legislature with recommendations.

“This process ensures ongoing assessment of compensation, long-term care, and supports for people injured in crashes, including survivors,” the ministry said.

For the time being, Peter and Erika Peebles say they will do their best to make it a happy Christmas.

“Christmas will never be the same for anyone. Christmas isn’t Christmas. Christmas is the anniversary of losing our son,” Peter said.

Added Erika: “The only thing that’s kind of carrying us through is just trying to find that purpose and do something that it does honour our son and try and make it better for our children and for other children.”

Article Originally Written by Bob Mackin for the Prince George Citizen

End of Life in the 21st Century and The Costs Associated With Passage

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Poor people in Canada pay for funerals through provincial social assistance programs (like BC’s Ministry of Social Development or Ontario Works), the federal Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Death Benefit.

Many today are choosing simpler, lower-cost options like direct cremation, with funeral homes often guiding families through these limited financial resources. Government aid covers basic services, but often falls short of average funeral costs, requiring families to supplement or choose minimal arrangements.

  • Government Financial Assistance
    Provincial Programs: Most provinces have programs, often through social development or welfare ministries, to help with funeral costs if the deceased’s estate and family can’t pay.
  • British Columbia: The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction provides assistance, covering basic services, burial/cremation, and interment, working directly with funeral homes.
  • Ontario: Ontario Works helps cover basic funeral expenses for those in need, with a process involving your local office.
  • Federal Program: Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Death Benefit: A one-time payment of $2,500 (a flat rate) is available if the deceased contributed to CPP for a minimum number of years, helping families with costs.
  • How the Process Works
    Contact the Ministry: After a death, the legal representative (executor) contacts the provincial ministry (e.g., Social Development) to see if the estate qualifies for assistance.

Work with Funeral Homes: Funeral directors are familiar with these programs and guide families to choose services within the available budget.

Ministry Pays the Funeral Home: If approved, the ministry pays the funeral home directly for approved services, which may cover cremation or burial and other basic costs.

  • Cost-Saving Options
    Direct Cremation: This is often the most affordable option, as it avoids embalming, viewing, and elaborate ceremonies.
    Simplified Services: Choosing basic services (no casket upgrades, flowers, or extensive visitations) keeps costs down.

  • Challenges
    Funding Gaps: Government funding often doesn’t cover the full average cost of a funeral, leaving a significant gap for families to fill.
    Limited Choices: Financial constraints restrict choices, making it hard to provide the send-off families desire.  

Peace to All and Best Wishes to All in the New Year of Life and it’s passing encounters.

theurbansurvivor.org

New cancer treatment with fewer side effects to be trialled in UK

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Up to 280 patients from seven countries will be recruited globally for the trial

Jane Kirby | Originally Published on The United Kingdom’s “Independent” Newspaper 2025

Saturday 06 December 2025 00:01 GMT

A groundbreaking trial for a prostate cancer treatment with fewer side effects has launched in the UK.

Backed by the Government-funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the trial will examine whether Aquablation – a therapy using robotics, AI and real-time imaging – works as well or better than traditional surgery, known as radical prostatectomy.

Radical prostatectomy involves removing the entire prostate gland in a bid to cure men of prostate cancer. The treatment is suitable for men whose cancer has not spread outside of the prostate gland or has spread to the area just outside the gland.

However, the operation carries a risk of serious side-effects, such as infection, erectile dysfunction and urinary problems.

Researchers hope Aquablation will minimise these issues.

The therapy is currently used in some centres to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

The treatment is suitable for men whose cancer has not spread outside of the prostate gland
The treatment is suitable for men whose cancer has not spread outside of the prostate gland (Getty/iStock)

Aquablation involves a robotic-assisted, high-pressure waterjet. Surgeons can also map the entire prostate in real time with ultrasound.

Using the technique, medics find cancerous tissue to remove while avoiding surrounding nerves and muscles associated with erectile function and the bladder.

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in London is the first hospital in Europe to recruit a patient to the trial, which is being run in seven countries.

Overall, 280 patients will be recruited globally, all with early-stage, localised prostate cancer who have already decided to have surgery.

Philip Charlesworth, consultant urological surgeon at the Royal Marsden, said: “For men with prostate cancer confined to the prostate, curative options are excellent, however, we are becoming increasingly focused on the side-effects of the cancer treatment and how we can embrace new technology to maintain a man’s quality-of-life following their surgery.

“This trial is measuring Aquablation therapy, which uses a robotic approach to surgically remove the cancer, and to preserve a man’s ability to remain continent and maintain sexual activity.

“The potential for this trial is very exciting. It has an opportunity, depending on the results of the study, to add an alternative surgical treatment option for patients with localised prostate cancer across the globe.

“The ultimate aim, and my passion, is to improve prostate cancer treatments so that they cause less harm and are less invasive for the patient.

“I feel that this is an incredibly exciting prospect for the future of prostate cancer care.”

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in London is the first hospital in Europe to recruit a patient to the trial
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in London is the first hospital in Europe to recruit a patient to the trial (Getty)

Other potential treatments for localised prostate cancer include active surveillance or monitoring of the cancer and radiation.

The new trial is sponsored by the US company, Procept BioRobotics.

To date, there are more than 25 centres globally recruiting patients for the trial.

The four UK centres are the Royal Marsden, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The trial comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting said earlier this week he was “surprised” by the decision from scientific advisers to limit prostate cancer screening.

In a draft recommendation, the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC), which advises the Government, said prostate cancer screening should not be made routinely available for the vast majority of men in the UK.

It said it would not recommend population screening using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test because it “is likely to cause more harm than good”.

Experts are expecting data within two years from a large trial launched by Prostate Cancer UK into whether combining PSA with other tests, such as rapid MRI scans, could lead to a recommendation for population-wide screening.

For now, the committee will put forward only a recommendation to screen men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations – which puts them at far higher risk of prostate cancer – every two years, between the ages of 45 and 61.

Main symptoms of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer usually starts to grow on the outer part of the prostate. If this happens, it can cause changes to the way you pee, such as:

  • finding it difficult to start peeing or straining to pee
  • having a weak flow of urine
  • “stop start” peeing
  • needing to pee urgently or often, or both
  • feeling like you still need to pee when you’ve just finished
  • peeing during the night

Other symptoms can include:

  • erectile dysfunction (being unable to get or keep an erection)
  • blood in your urine or blood in your semen
  • lower back pain and losing weight without trying to (these may be symptoms of advanced prostate cancer)

Speaking on Wednesday on BBC Breakfast, Mr Streeting said he was surprised by the decision.

He said: “I’m looking very carefully at why the national screening committee reached that decision.

“I’ve always said these things have got to be based on science and evidence, not on politics.

“But the recommendation did surprise me.

“This is contested. I’ve got people in the prostate cancer community and not just really prominent patients and celebrities and politicians who’ve used their experience and their voice in this debate, but among scientists and researchers.

“This is a draft recommendation. They consult on this for three months, and then we have to make a final decision.

“What I’m going to do is get some of those leading, best scientific voices and competing opinions around the table to thrash this out, to really interrogate the data and make sure that when I come on your programme having made a decision, it’s the right decision for the right reasons, the best evidence and the public can then understand why we’ve made the decision and the scientific community can understand why we’ve made the decision.

“But I am interrogating this data and recommendation because it did surprise me.”

Many experts argue that the PSA test is not very reliable because men with a high PSA level may not have cancer, and some men with cancer have a normal PSA result.

A positive test result may lead to unnecessary treatment for slow-growing or harmless tumours, leaving men at risk of side effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

But others argue that current evidence supports wider testing.

Homeless Prevention Program | BC Housing 2025

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Homeless Prevention Program

The Homeless Prevention Program provides portable rent supplements and support services to individuals in identified at-risk groups facing homelessness.

About the program

The Homeless Prevention Program is an initiative aimed at providing individuals in identified at-risk groups facing homelessness with portable rent supplements and support services to help them access rental housing in the private (non-subsidized) housing market.

The rent supplements and support services help recipients access rental housing in the private (non-subsidized) housing market and community-based services.

The Homeless Prevention Program operates, in many instances, as an enhancement to the existing Homeless Outreach Program / Indigenous Homeless Outreach Programs and targets individuals at transition points that put them at greater risk of homelessness.

Cost: None. Services are free.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible, you (or someone you know) are at immediate risk of homelessness. This includes:

  • Youth transitioning out of foster care
  • Women who have experienced violence or are at risk of violence
  • Individuals leaving the correctional or hospital systems
  • Individuals of Indigenous descent

Age

Services

If you are eligible and approved, the rent supplement can assist with:

  • Your rent
  • Your damage deposit
  • Costs that help you secure housing (for example, getting identification)
  • Transportation to a housing opportunity
  • Storage for your belongings as you wait to move into a new home
  • Ensuring access to utilities (for example, heat and water)
  • Moving expenses
  • Home start-up items

You cannot use the rent supplement for:

  • Rent, if you are already receiving a subsidy
  • Expenses not related to housing or this Program
  • Clinical health and treatment services
  • Medical or clinical staff expenses
  • Daycare expenses

Please contact an outreach worker for full details. An outreach worker will be able to determine what you are eligible for.

Who to contact

Contact a Homeless Prevention Program Service Provider or go to the nearest Emergency Shelter and ask to speak to staff.

Outreach staff will ask a few questions about your situation and income to determine your eligibility.

Note: Rental supplements are intended to be temporary.

Originally published on the British Columbia Housing Program website.

The Politics of Poverty in the Developed World

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Capitalism’s Dual Role

Poverty in the developed world exists as a paradox: affluent nations with vast resources still grapple with systemic inequality, homelessness, and food insecurity.

This reality underscores how poverty is not merely an economic issue but a political one, shaped by policy choices, power dynamics, and the structural forces of capitalism.

While capitalism has driven unprecedented wealth creation, its association with poverty reveals a complex interplay of exploitation, inequality, and insufficient social safeguards.


1. The Structural Roots of Poverty in Capitalist Systems
Capitalism’s core mechanism—profit-driven markets—has historically generated prosperity but also entrenched inequality.

In developed nations, poverty persists despite economic growth because wealth concentrates at the top. For instance, the top 10% of earners in the U.S. control 70% of wealth, while the bottom 50% own just 2.6%.

This disparity stems from policies favoring capital over labor, such as tax cuts for corporations and weakened union protections. The decline of unions, from 34% of U.S. workers in the 1950s to 10% today, correlates with stagnating wages and rising precarious work.


Capitalism’s “creative destruction” also perpetuates poverty. Technological advancements and globalization displace workers, while austerity measures—often justified under neoliberal ideologies—slash social safety nets.

For example, post-2008 austerity in Europe increased poverty rates, particularly in Greece and Spain, where public spending on healthcare and education was curtailed.


2. Political Choices: Reinforcing or Alleviating Poverty?
Poverty in developed nations is not inevitable but a product of political decisions.

Governments shape economic systems through taxation, labor laws, and welfare programs. The U.S., despite its wealth, has a higher poverty rate (11.6%) than peer nations like France (8.1%), partly due to weaker social transfers.

Countries with robust welfare systems, such as Nordic nations, demonstrate that poverty can be mitigated through progressive taxation and universal healthcare.
However, corporate influence often skews policy.

Lobbying by wealthy elites undermines reforms like minimum wage increases or affordable housing initiatives. For example, the 2017 U.S. tax reform disproportionately benefited high earners, exacerbating income gaps.

Similarly, privatization of public services—a hallmark of neoliberal capitalism—shifts costs to individuals, deepening poverty among low-income households.

3. Globalization and Its Discontents
Globalization, while boosting aggregate growth, has unevenly distributed benefits. In developed nations, offshoring jobs to low-wage countries decimated manufacturing sectors, leaving communities in “rust belts” like the U.S. Midwest or northern England.

These regions now face entrenched poverty, with limited access to high-skilled employment. Meanwhile, corporate profits soar: Apple’s $394 billion revenue in 2023 starkly contrasts with the 44 million Americans living below the poverty line.

Political globalization—trade agreements and deregulation—often prioritizes corporate interests over workers’ rights. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), for instance, displaced U.S. factory workers while enriching multinational firms.

4. Capitalism’s Contradictions: Growth vs. Equity
Proponents argue capitalism reduces poverty through innovation and growth. Indeed, extreme poverty globally fell from 94% in 1820 to 9.6% in 2015, largely due to market expansion. Yet, in developed nations, relative poverty—measured against national standards—remains stubborn.

The U.S. federal poverty for a family of 4 is 19 times higher than the global threshold of $2.15 day, yet 37 million Americans still fall short.
Critics highlight that capitalism’s focus on profit often neglects human needs.

For example, pharmaceutical companies prioritize lucrative drugs over affordable medicines, leaving millions in debt or untreated 11. Similarly, speculative housing markets in cities like London and San Francisco price out low-income residents, fueling homelessness.


5. Pathways to Reform: Reimagining Capitalism
Addressing poverty in developed nations requires rebalancing capitalism with equity-driven policies:

• Wealth Redistribution: A 1% tax on billionaire wealth could fund global poverty eradication.

• Labor Empowerment: Reviving unions and mandating living wages can reduce income inequality.

• Social Safety Nets: Expanding programs like universal childcare and housing subsidies, as seen in Finland, lifts marginalized groups from poverty.

• Green Transitions: A Global Green New Deal could create jobs while combating climate-driven poverty.


Conclusion: A Political Imperative
Poverty in the developed world is neither accidental nor natural—it is a political outcome.

Capitalism’s role is dual edged: it generates wealth but distributes it inequitably. Tackling poverty demands dismantling systemic barriers through progressive taxation, corporate accountability, and robust social policies.

As philosopher Lisa Herzog notes, markets prioritize “moneyed desires over unmoneyed needs”. Redirecting this focus toward justice and equity is not just an economic necessity but a moral imperative.

The choice lies with policymakers: perpetuate a system where poverty coexists with opulence or forge a new paradigm where prosperity is shared. The latter path, though fraught, offers the only route to a just society.




The Crisis of Dental Care Affordability in North America: A Tale of Two Nations

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Dental care remains a critical yet often overlooked component of overall health, with millions in Canada and the United States unable to afford basic services. For low-income individuals, the high cost of dental care exacerbates health inequities, perpetuates cycles of poverty, and strains public health systems. This article examines the systemic barriers to affordable oral health care in both countries, highlighting policy gaps, socioeconomic disparities, and the human toll of unmet dental needs.

The Canadian Context: Progress and Persistent Gaps

In Canada, approximately one-third of residents lack dental insurance, and one in four avoid dental visits due to cost, often leading to preventable complications like infections, cardiovascular issues, and diabetes-related problems. Recognizing this crisis, the federal government launched the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) in 2023, targeting uninsured households earning under 90,000 its phased rollout has left gaps. For example, adults aged 18–64 must wait until 2025 to apply, prolonging financial strain for many.

Despite these efforts, challenges persist. The CDCP’s “payer of last resort” model does not fully address accessibility barriers, such as rural “dental deserts” or provider shortages in marginalized communities. Additionally, Canada’s reliance on employer-sponsored insurance—covering 76% of insured individuals—leaves low-income workers, gig economy employees, and Indigenous populations disproportionately uninsured.

The U.S. Crisis: A Landscape of Inequity

In the U.S., over 76.5 million Americans lack dental insurance, with disparities starkly divided along racial and economic lines 5. Black and Hispanic adults are 68% and 52% more likely, respectively, to have unmet dental needs compared to white Americans, while rural residents face severe provider shortages—Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota have the highest rates of “dental deserts”. Medicaid, the primary safety net, often limits adult coverage to emergency extractions, leaving preventive care inaccessible. Even insured individuals face high deductibles and annual caps, forcing many to delay treatment until crises arise.

The consequences are dire. Poor oral health contributes to lost productivity (4.15 million workdays missed annually) and unnecessary emergency room visits, costing the U.S. healthcare system $1.8 billion in 2017 alone. Vulnerable groups, including veterans and low-income families, endure higher rates of periodontal disease and tooth loss, further entrenching health inequities.

Structural Barriers and Systemic Failures

Both nations grapple with systemic issues that compound affordability challenges:

  1. Geographic Disparities: Rural areas in the U.S. and Canada suffer from dentist shortages, with rural Canada relying on fly-in clinics and the U.S. facing a ratio of one dentist per 3,850 rural residents.
  2. Racial and Economic Inequities: Marginalized communities, including immigrants and people of color, face discrimination, language barriers, and limited access to culturally competent care.
  3. Policy Limitations: Canada’s CDCP excludes those with employer insurance, while the U.S. lacks a federal dental program, relying on fragmented state-level Medicaid policies.

Toward Equitable Solutions

Addressing this crisis requires bold policy reforms. Canada’s CDCP, though imperfect, represents a step toward universal coverage, but advocates argue for a federally funded agency to standardize care and close gaps. In the U.S., expanding Medicaid dental benefits and incentivizing providers to work in underserved areas could mitigate disparities. Both nations must prioritize integrating oral health into primary care and addressing social determinants like poverty and education.

Conclusion

The unaffordability of dental care in North America is not merely a health issue but a moral failing. While Canada’s CDCP offers hope, its success hinges on addressing accessibility and inclusivity. In the U.S., systemic overhaul is urgently needed to ensure oral health is treated as a fundamental right. Until then, millions will continue to suffer needlessly, their pain a testament to the enduring divide between privilege and poverty.

30-bed emergency shelter for older adults planned in Abbotsford

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Facility would run out of Central Heights Church

Written by: Vikki Hopes
Feb 25, 2025 10:22 AM

central-heights-church
Central Heights Church in Abbotsford is planning a 30-bed emergency shelter for older adults. Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News file

Listen to this article by accessing the above player.

A 30-bed emergency shelter for older adults is being planned at Central Heights Church in Abbotsford.

The plan came before city council on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 25), when a temporary-use permit and housing agreement were approved.

A staff report to council states that 30 individual “sleeping units” will be provided in an existing building on the church property at 1661 McCallum Rd.

That area at the north end of the building has been operating by Sparrow Community Services Society as a severe weather shelter for older adults.

A letter to the city from BC Housing in September 2024 states that in order to accommodate the emergency shelter, the building will be renovated to include sufficient washroom and shower facilities, accessible entry and operator spaces.

The space is expected to be completed this winter.

The Central Heights Church Shelter will continue to be run by Sparrow – which serves older adults (50+) who are at risk of homelessness – under an agreement with BC Housing.

Support services will be provided 24/7 under the Homelessness Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) and Homelessness Encampment Action Response Team (HEART) programs.

The staff report to council says a temporary-use permit was required to accommodate the proposed use as it abuts an existing residential use.

The permit will be valid for three years, with the opportunity to request one three-year extension.

The housing agreement includes that the operators must form a good neighbour committee with monthly meetings for the first four months and then on an as-needed basis.

The operators must also provide support services – directly or through referrals – such as life-skills training, counselling and substance-use services.

They must also at least have two staff on site 24/7, and ensure that guests “do not disturb the peace, quiet and enjoyment of the neighbourhood.”

The project has drawn support from Fraser Health and the Abbotsford Police Department, which states that the current services offered at the site have required fewer police resources than comparable facilities.

The city says there are currently 40 encampments and more than 400 unhoused individuals across Abbotsford.

Originally published online at The Abbotsford News

What the tiny little bugs in your carpet are, and why they could be bad news.

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Tom Kershaw & Paige Oldfield

Sun 16 February 2025 at 11:37 am GMT-8·1-min read

-Credit:Getty
-Credit:Getty

They may be small and swift, but if you notice this tiny silver creature scurrying around your home, you could be facing a significant and costly issue. Experts are advising anyone who spots a silverfish in their property to promptly check for dampness.

These shiny, teardrop-shaped insects thrive in moist conditions and are particularly fond of areas with water.

If you see one darting into or out of your skirting boards or crevices around window sills, it’s likely a sign of damp and moisture within your property. If not addressed, dampness can lead to a host of problems, including cracked bricks, rotting joists, decaying plaster, and spreading mould spores. In extreme cases, it can even compromise the structural integrity of the property and impact air quality.

Dampness can result from various factors, such as leaky drainpipes, condensation, ageing damp proofing, or inadequate ventilation, especially in bathrooms or kitchens where water vapour tends to linger. Identifying the cause can be tricky, but the presence of silverfish indoors usually signals that there’s dampness requiring attention.

Silverfish can be a sign of huge issues -Credit:Getty
Silverfish can be a sign of huge issues -Credit:Getty

The sooner signs of dampness are detected, the easier it will be to eradicate the bugs. It recommends looking for indications on walls like wet or damp patches, peeling wallpaper, and flaking plaster.

Other telltale signs include damp and musty smells, rotting wood, and the emergence of mould and mildew on walls, floors, or ceilings.

Among the proposed remedies are utilising a dehumidifier, maintaining good ventilation in your home, inspecting your gutters for leaks, applying damp-proof paint to your walls and, if necessary, engaging a professional to address areas impacted by rising dampness.

Originally published on Yahoo! United Kingdom